]]>The Triangle AMA would like to welcome its newest members. Thank you for joining one of the most dynamic groups in the Triangle. Let us know how we can make your membership a valuable and rewarding experience.

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/welcome-new-triangle-ama-members/feed/0Taking the Fear Out of Technologyhttp://www.triangleama.org/taking-the-fear-out-of-technology/
http://www.triangleama.org/taking-the-fear-out-of-technology/#commentsWed, 01 Jul 2015 13:24:33 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4687Jon Barlow, Group Digital Director for Capstrat, Shares His Insights About the Latest Trends Jon Barlow of Capstrat has seen and used a lot of different technologies in his career. As well he should. Jon is senior vice president and group digital director for the communications agency located in the Triangle, and he oversees a […]

Jon Barlow, Group Digital Director for Capstrat, Shares His Insights About the Latest Trends

Jon Barlow of Capstrat has seen and used a lot of different technologies in his career. As well he should. Jon is senior vice president and group digital director for the communications agency located in the Triangle, and he oversees a team that develops and implements digitally focused projects for clients large and small.

But even he is amazed by what’s taking place today.

“Marketing technology has really evolved,” says Barlow. “It’s like night and day compared to when Capstrat started in digital in 2001. Back then, we created destinations that were large enterprise websites that took six months or longer to build. Now, things have evolved so much that it’s like we’re talking a completely different language.”

Barlow isn’t complaining. In fact, he’s excited about the variety of technologies that are now available to developers, designers and communicators. In fact, he says that 75 percent of Capstrat’s work is delivered digitally.

But he also takes a cautionary approach as well.

“Often, when new technology appears, so-called experts and ‘gurus’ sprout up to profit quickly from the lack of understanding in the marketplace. This has happened with social media, SEO and now marketing automation. Their sales methods are often based in perpetuating the confusion and instilling a sense of fear about not using new technology correctly,” Barlow says. “I think we should be doing just the opposite. We should take the fear out of it. I like to say that as consumers we use the same technology every day. It’s a constant in our lives, and we should apply and adapt that understanding when it comes to our organization’s digital marketing and communications. Don’t get hung up on the latest technology. Focus on your end goal.”

That’s not to say the rapid pace of new technology doesn’t keep Barlow up at night sometimes. But rather than trying to master every new digital tactic, channel and piece of technology that appears – a feat Barlow says is impossible – he advises Capstrat clients to rely on him, his staff and other key partners at the agency. This team helps clients not only stay on top of the technology shifts but also understand how these shifts can potentially impact their business.

“When it all comes down to it, the process of marketing communications is still the same, regardless of the technology,” Barlow says. “You still need to understand your audience and what media they consume, provide messages that will resonate and deliver that message flawlessly. Sometimes focusing too much on the technology can be overwhelming and distracting to the process.

One area that Barlow and his team keep a close eye on is mobile, which continues to see rapid growth and provide new opportunities for messaging. Barlow says mobile is all about context, meaning how the mobile experience is seamlessly interwoven into the physical experience. A great example of how this is being done well can be found when you go into a Target store, he says. When you enter, Target’s free Wi-Fi instantly tries to connect to your phone. This connection helps Target track where you are located in the store, and when that information is married to your purchase data from your REDcard, Target is able to give you a more personalized shopping experience by offering coupons at the register, special promotions through direct mail or discounts through your Cartwheel app.

Barlow says he is convinced that some of the big trends in mobile, cloud-based subscription services and the new payment systems (such as Google Wallet or Apple Pay) have just scratched the surface in terms of widespread adoption. He also says consumer adoption of wearables should double by 2016 and that the impact of this technology is “going to be big for marketers.”

But at the end of the day, Barlow says the work that he and his colleagues do for their clients at Capstrat is to create an integrated approach to marketing and communications that helps each company or organization achieve their individual, unique organizational objectives.

“We’re always ready when they are ready to establish a digital experience when it makes sense for their business objectives,” Barlow says. “Whether it’s to further educate their audiences or drive results directly to the bottom line, our job is to help our clients with their business challenges using the latest technology smartly.”

Barlow points out that many of his team’s clients are big believers in data and measurement and often have in-house analytics staffs that use this data effectively. But he says his team also has clients who are inundated with data and are often unsure how to glean insights from it. In that case, Capstrat introduces what the agency calls a “measurement framework.”

“We give clients an understanding of the performance of their strategy and tactics and then the context of how that performance ties back to their core business objectives so they can see if they’re ‘moving the needle’ or not,” he said. “What we really do is educate them on how best to move forward.”

Building engaging digital campaigns. Helping clients understand key performance indicators. Keeping an eye on and evaluating new technologies. Barlow says it’s all part of the service his team provides.

“We’re excited about these kinds of challenges,” Barlow says. “We like using technology in new ways to achieve business results.”

Whatever conversation he’s in, Barlow definitely takes the fear out of new technology. There’s also little doubt that Capstrat’s clients are better off because of it.

ABOUT CAPSTRAT

Do you work in complex, regulated environments where the urgency of “What now?” meets “What’s next?” We do.

Do you believe every communication problem looks like a nail and every solution is a hammer? We don’t.

Can we agree unique insights brought to life through imaginative problem-solving and flawless implementation using integrated media is the only way to move an audience in communications today? Good. Then let’s talk.

We’re Capstrat, a member of the Ketchum global network specializing in communications for healthcare, energy, technology and professional services. Visit us at www.capstrat.com.

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/taking-the-fear-out-of-technology/feed/0Three Tips for Healthcare Professionals to Market Like a Retailerhttp://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-healthcare-professionals-to-market-like-a-retailer/
http://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-healthcare-professionals-to-market-like-a-retailer/#commentsFri, 26 Jun 2015 19:59:05 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4668Because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and numerous other changes in healthcare, navigating through them can prove to be challenging, especially in this retail-focused environment. And yet, with challenges come new opportunities—opportunities for companies and organizations to build long-term relationships with their patients, customers or stakeholders. To help healthcare professionals wade through the myriad […]

]]>Because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and numerous other changes in healthcare, navigating through them can prove to be challenging, especially in this retail-focused environment. And yet, with challenges come new opportunities—opportunities for companies and organizations to build long-term relationships with their patients, customers or stakeholders.

To help healthcare professionals wade through the myriad of challenges facing them, in a recent webinar Mike Kondratick and Kelly Calabria of Capstrat share three tips to help healthcare professional market like a retailer.

Capstrat is a strategic communications agency specializing in campaigns that help clients win customers, improve visibility, generate revenue and achieve favorable public policy outcomes. Founded in 1994, Capstrat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.,and is owned by Ketchum, part of the Diversified Agency Services division of the Omnicom Group, Inc., a leading global advertising and marketing communications services company. www.capstrat.com

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-healthcare-professionals-to-market-like-a-retailer/feed/0Evolving Advertising: Targeting the Cord-Cutters and Cord-Nevershttp://www.triangleama.org/evolving-advertising-targeting-the-cord-cutters-and-cord-nevers/
http://www.triangleama.org/evolving-advertising-targeting-the-cord-cutters-and-cord-nevers/#commentsFri, 26 Jun 2015 18:32:16 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4665Guest Post by Justin Coffin, Associate Media Director, Capstrat Unless you have been living under a rock or have purposely stayed unplugged from the internet, you have heard the following buzzwords at least three to four times per day: cutting the cord, cord-cutters, cord-nevers, cross-screen, smart TV, OTT or over the top, streaming video and […]

Unless you have been living under a rock or have purposely stayed unplugged from the internet, you have heard the following buzzwords at least three to four times per day: cutting the cord, cord-cutters, cord-nevers, cross-screen, smart TV, OTT or over the top, streaming video and binge-watching.

All of these buzzwords relate to the back-and-forth commentary regarding pay TV and streaming services and how marketers will adapt to the latest findings:

According to a report from Nielsen, Americans are watching less live television than ever before, dropping to an average of 141 hours a month for the third quarter of 2014 from 147 hours for the same period last year.

68% of millennials consume their media on a computer, 29% on a tablet and 31% on a smartphone, according to Verizon Digital Media, 2014.

The average cost of an expanded basic cable service has increased an average of 6.1% annually since 1995 (up to about $65 a month), according to the NPD Group.

Whether you are a contributing editor for www.killthecablebill.com or an optimistic TV representative, we can all agree that we need to adapt to what is coming and find ways to connect and deliver premium messaging to this audience.

Three Quick Tips:

HULU Plus– Different ad products for you to choose from allow viewers to pick which commercial they want to watch, to have the option of watching a long-form commercials as opposed to multiple commercials during a selected program (known as Brand Entertainment Selector), or simply to run a 30-second TV spot. All are easy ways to connect with those who said “so long” to cable. According to comScore, more than 6 million unique viewers stream Hulu videos through a connected TV. At the current time, Netflix does not offer advertising opportunities.

All-Screen Video (desktop, smartphone and tablet) – Repurposing a TV spot or creating a custom interactive video ad that will reach viewers across all devices when they view an online video is cost-efficient and highly measurable. Whether they are watching a video on YouTube or grabbing their daily news online, deliver your message at the right time when they are engaged.

Twitter Trending – Target your advertising messaging to those who are social savvy. TV targeting on Twitter has been popular among businesses reaching pay-TV subscribers. Now, with streaming services such as Netflix releasing their own exclusive series, plan on targeting Twitter ads to specific usernames and/or interests on special release dates (see full list here). When “House of Cards: Season 3” released on Friday, February 27, viewers settled in for a 13-hour binge-watching session and tweeted more than 640K times about the show over the weekend. Twitter allows you to target not only usernames (@HouseOfCards) but also crucial trending hashtags (#PresidentUnderwood) and special interests (movies and television, sports, music) to take full advantage of the spikes.

As always, we at Capstrat would love to hear your ideas and thoughts on this subject. Where do you see the future of cord-cutting going? Reach us on Twitter at @capstrat.

Capstrat is a strategic communications agency specializing in campaigns that help clients win customers, improve visibility, generate revenue and achieve favorable public policy outcomes.Founded in 1994, Capstrat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.,and is owned by Ketchum, part of the Diversified Agency Services division of the Omnicom Group, Inc., a leading global advertising and marketing communications services company. www.capstrat.com

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/evolving-advertising-targeting-the-cord-cutters-and-cord-nevers/feed/0Why Marcom is in the Driver’s Seathttp://www.triangleama.org/why-marcom-is-in-the-drivers-seat/
http://www.triangleama.org/why-marcom-is-in-the-drivers-seat/#commentsFri, 26 Jun 2015 18:29:45 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4661Guest Post by Shane Johnston, Executive Vice President, Capstrat Marketing communications strategy often is driven by business or organizational activities, such as product launches or upgrades, new service offerings, mergers or acquisitions, executive hires and other events controlled internally. But it’s a brave and confusing new communications world out there, and now is the time […]

Marketing communications strategy often is driven by business or organizational activities, such as product launches or upgrades, new service offerings, mergers or acquisitions, executive hires and other events controlled internally. But it’s a brave and confusing new communications world out there, and now is the time for marketing communications experts to drive strategy, rather than having strategy dictated to them.

The proliferation of online and offline media channels, the challenges of omnichannel communication experiences, the rise of social media, the blurring between B-to-B and B-to-C experiences, and other factors should put marcom squarely in the driver’s seat. Marcom professionals need to increase—and then share—their understanding of how to handle forces beyond the company’s control, to step back from the daily internal activity and get a handle on the trends that will impact the success of their communications plans. Here are some of the trends shaping marcom today:

1. The convergence of paid, owned and earned media: This trend has been happening for a while and is the result of clever marketers, media companies starved for revenue channels, and sophisticated audiences weary of sales pitches (not necessarily in that order). Before the dawn of social media, paid media was pretty straightforward: digital, print, TV, out of home, events or sponsorships, etc. Then social media took a piece of the paid pie with tools such as promoted posts on Facebook and Twitter. Owned media—content that’s branded by a company or organization—now includes white papers, newsletters, blogs, websites, microsites, social media channels and any other format or channel owned by the company. And earned media includes media relations and tactics such as news articles, features, op-eds and social media posts. User-generated distribution through social media, blogs, reviews, comments, survey responses and other tactics could be considered a part of earned media, although some marketers call this shared media.

The lines between all three clearly are blurring when you consider tactics such as native advertising, advertorials and sponsored news items. The main consideration for convergence is how removing one media channel negatively impacts the performance of the others. For example, the failure to advertise after positive coverage in earned media could result in lost sales.

2. The rise of purpose-driven content: Organizations have been generating content for decades, but the advent of content marketing is driven by the need for research behind a marketing plan. Defining your target market, learning how they consume content and in what formats (video, infographics, white papers, etc.), and when to serve information throughout the conversion funnel are as important as the content, itself. Content fills the media channels, but, more importantly, content gets people from attention to interest, desire and action within the funnel.

3. Analytics for mROI: If you’re a marketer with an unlimited protected budget, you can skip this section. Also, where do you work?

The rest of us constantly are justifying our budgets, fighting to get more and generally trying to prove our value to our companies through marketing ROI. Marketers need a formal, documented measurement framework that ties general business objectives, such as increasing revenue, to specific metrics, such as media placements, website activity, inbound calls, etc.

Analytics should help marketers get past budget justification and facilitate learning through testing. Measuring can help you fail fast and optimize victories, and should cover content, media and timing. Analyze what you say, and when and where you say it.

We tend to associate analytics with online tactics, but it’s important to measure both online and offline tactics within a campaign. An example of measuring the impact of offline and online tactics could include targeting certain metro areas with events and media relations while executing advertising and direct-response tactics nationwide.

Understanding these major trends will help define the discipline of marketing communications and add value to your role within your organization.

Capstrat is a strategic communications agency specializing in campaigns that help clients win customers, improve visibility, generate revenue and achieve favorable public policy outcomes.Founded in 1994, Capstrat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.,and is owned by Ketchum, part of the Diversified Agency Services division of the Omnicom Group, Inc., a leading global advertising and marketing communications services company. www.capstrat.com

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/why-marcom-is-in-the-drivers-seat/feed/0Beyond the Big Three in B2B Social Mediahttp://www.triangleama.org/beyond-the-big-three-in-b2b-social-media/
http://www.triangleama.org/beyond-the-big-three-in-b2b-social-media/#commentsFri, 26 Jun 2015 18:28:35 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4659Guest Post by Mallory Pickard, Account Executive, Capstrat Traditionally, social media has been viewed as a business-to-community (B2C) marketing tactic because of its informal nature. However, as more B2B businesses embrace and find success in social media marketing, the difference in approaches for B2B and B2C social media marketing begins to dwindle. And it’s no […]

Traditionally, social media has been viewed as a business-to-community (B2C) marketing tactic because of its informal nature. However, as more B2B businesses embrace and find success in social media marketing, the difference in approaches for B2B and B2C social media marketing begins to dwindle. And it’s no wonder: The essential goals of driving awareness and building relationships with customers apply to both B2C and B2B companies.

So how do you stand out in a social media space that is increasingly crowded with B2C and B2B messaging? How can you establish your company as an industry thought leader and connect with prospects, clients and influencers outside of the Big Three – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn?

As part of our social media series, here are three tips for growing your company’s social media presence outside of the Big Three in 2015.

1) SlideShare

SlideShare is the largest professional presentation sharing community on the Internet and has five times the traffic from business owners and executives compared to other social media channels.[1] This makes SlideShare a great place to share case studies, research and conference presentations.

Use your blog and traditional social media channels like Facebook and Twitter to share interesting excerpts and graphics from your presentation and drive traffic to it. Take advantage of SlideShare’s link embed feature to share resources from your website and social media channels directly within your presentation. This will help increase traffic to your website and make the presentation easier to share.

Use SlideShare analytics to see who is viewing your presentations, where they are being referred from and which of your presentations are the most popular with your target audience. Finally, design with care. The most-viewed SlideShare presentations feature creative graphics and high-quality fonts that are easy to read on small screens.

Embracing SlideShare as a stop on the B2B purchasing journey will help you further integrate lead generation efforts and help establish your business as a useful and trusted resource for consumers.

2) Quora

Questions are one of the most popular search formats on Google, but unlike Google, Quora is a unique social channel that allows you to connect with customers who have specific intent and are seeking human answers to their questions. Quora catalogues its questions and answers forever, allowing users to find answers for years to come and creating a unique opportunity for businesses to establish expertise and share industry insights.

It’s important to recognize that Quora is not just another communications vehicle, but a community in which knowledge-based interplay rules. Strike a balance between giving informative, interesting answers to questions and pitching your own product or service. Make an effort to engage beyond the answer by upvoting other contributors’ comments and following new users.

3) YouTube

If you think adding video to your marketing strategy is too time-consuming and difficult, consider the following numbers:

YouTube is the second largest search engine – bigger than Bing, Yahoo, Ask & AOL combined.[2]

72% percent of senior executives research an organization after watching a B2B video marketing campaign.[3]

50% of users watch business-related videos on YouTube once a week.[4]

YouTube is a huge opportunity to reach your customers and humanize your business. Use YouTube to share new company initiatives, community efforts, behind-the-scenes demonstrations of product development – and the impact your product or service has had on the lives of your customers. Putting a face behind your company will help create a personable experience for customers, establish your team’s expertise and make your audience more inclined to be involved with you in the future.

YouTube content can also help boost engagement on your other social channels. Linking to YouTube videos results in a 75% higher share rate on LinkedIn,[5] and videos generate the highest number of interactions of any post type on Facebook.[6]

Summary

Successful social media marketing utilizes a multichannel, content-rich approach, and these three channels are great places to offer new forms of content and expand your social presence beyond the Big Three. Whatever your goal or channel, focus on creating visually rich content or providing actionable information that is going to be of real value or interest to your audience. Don’t overlook the importance of writing creative and concise copy, including the copy for your SlideShare presentation and YouTube video descriptions.

Bottom line: Approach these channels like you would Twitter or LinkedIn – as steppingstones on the buyer journey. Be there for your prospects and current customers with the data, research, industry insights and behind-the-scenes updates to humanize your brand and drive untapped revenue.

Capstrat is a strategic communications agency specializing in campaigns that help clients win customers, improve visibility, generate revenue and achieve favorable public policy outcomes.Founded in 1994, Capstrat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.,and is owned by Ketchum, part of the Diversified Agency Services division of the Omnicom Group, Inc., a leading global advertising and marketing communications services company. www.capstrat.com

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/beyond-the-big-three-in-b2b-social-media/feed/0Three Tips for Maximizing Your Paid Media Budgethttp://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-maximizing-your-paid-media-budget/
http://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-maximizing-your-paid-media-budget/#commentsFri, 26 Jun 2015 18:26:33 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4657Guest Post by Maria Walker, Media Supervisor, Capstrat Many marketing departments today are being asked to achieve greater results with fewer resources. And as the number of media channels steadily grows, marketing decision-makers are finding more and more difficulty deciding where marketing dollars will be most effectively spent. Advertising is still one of the most […]

Many marketing departments today are being asked to achieve greater results with fewer resources. And as the number of media channels steadily grows, marketing decision-makers are finding more and more difficulty deciding where marketing dollars will be most effectively spent. Advertising is still one of the most surefire ways of generating sales, but it is also one of the more costly budget line items. The right approach can streamline your efforts and maximize your paid media budgets. To help ensure you are getting the best bang for your buck, keep the following three tips in mind when choosing your paid media.

Identify and Target Your Audience. Spend some time getting to really know your target audience. It’s a worthwhile investment to identify the customer persona most likely to purchase your products or services so that you can identify tactics that best reach them. Media outlets often can tell you quite a bit about who their average audience is, but that won’t do you any good if you don’t know who your own customer is. Knowing whether or not a local website should be on your media consideration list because the site reaches an audience of mainly women with school-age children will be invaluable in whittling down your choices among today’s ever-growing number of media channels. Knowing your audience and making informed paid media choices based on this data will go a long way toward spending your budget efficiently.

Know What Your Competition is Doing. Keeping an eye on where your competition is advertising can also help inform your own media mix. The spending levels and media placement decisions of your direct competitors can help you decide your own media plan foundation in order to remain competitive. Pay attention to where and how often your competitors are advertising, and plan your own media accordingly. If you know a competitor is outspending what you are able to invest with a particular media outlet, or even a particular medium, then don’t try and compete. Instead, look for opportunities with other mediums where you can stand out and lay claim to a larger share of voice.

Measure to Eliminate Waste. Monitoring and tracking the ROI of your media plan will be key to optimizing your media mix choices. When at all possible, use a unique call to action in your different media placements and track those leads to gauge which ads garnered the most response. Using custom landing pages on your website with unique URLs in your advertising can also be helpful in tracking media effectiveness. By using the same analytics used to measure website traffic, you can monitor the traffic each individual advertisement drives to your website. Today’s proliferation of digital media options also comes with an increased ability for measurement. Media placements such as paid search, retargeting and sponsored social media posts all have the ability for real-time analytics and quicker optimization of media placements.

Implementing these three tips will allow you to plan your media with your end goals in mind and produce more effective and efficient plans. As a marketing firm that provides strategic media planning and buying services, Capstrat has a main goal of providing the best ROI for our clients. If you are struggling with meeting your media planning goals, or simply don’t know where to start, let Capstrat’s media team guide your process. Tweet @capstrat to start the conversation.

Capstrat is a strategic communications agency specializing in campaigns that help clients win customers, improve visibility, generate revenue and achieve favorable public policy outcomes.Founded in 1994, Capstrat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.,and is owned by Ketchum, part of the Diversified Agency Services division of the Omnicom Group, Inc., a leading global advertising and marketing communications services company. www.capstrat.com

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-maximizing-your-paid-media-budget/feed/0Universal Analytics: Attribution in a Multi-device Worldhttp://www.triangleama.org/universal-analytics-attribution-in-a-multi-device-world/
http://www.triangleama.org/universal-analytics-attribution-in-a-multi-device-world/#commentsFri, 26 Jun 2015 18:24:03 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4655Guest Post by Megan Jones, Director of Analytics, Capstrat Long gone are the days when consumers start and end their purchase process in the same place. Ask tech-savvy generation X-, Y- or Z-ers, and they will tell you that most of their purchases, especially ones with higher price tags, began with a search on the […]

Long gone are the days when consumers start and end their purchase process in the same place. Ask tech-savvy generation X-, Y- or Z-ers, and they will tell you that most of their purchases, especially ones with higher price tags, began with a search on the Internet. Such a consumer most likely will read reviews, visit the company website to view product information (all on a phone, mind you), then revisit the website from a work computer. Next, the shopper compares reviews and prices of similar products, and then finally goes back to the company website and makes the purchase later that evening from the home computer. Sounds familiar, right? It’s a very common scenario these days.

Using standard web analytics tracking in that exact scenario, that sale and corresponding revenue would have been attributed to direct traffic from a desktop computer. Organic search from a mobile device would get no slice of that attribution pie, and therefore the company wouldn’t know that organic search is actually driving a larger percentage of revenue than it seems. But if this is such a common scenario, then why haven’t we solved the issue of tracking people as individual customers across multiple devices and sources of traffic? Well, actually, we have. And by “we,” of course, I mean Google (myself not included).

Introducing Universal Analytics

You may have heard about Universal Analytics, because it’s been out of beta for a while. If you have heard about it but just haven’t gotten around to switching, I’m going to tell you why it’s worth the effort. The main reason is that it solves the issue of tracking users across multiple devices, which, as we know from the scenario described above, can be problematic for a company trying to analyze channel revenue attribution. It does this through tracking visitors to your website through a User ID, instead of through cookies. Tracking web visitors through cookies limits your attribution data because a visitor will be assigned different cookies (and be seen as a different “person” in your data) for every device and browser the visitor uses to access your site. With the User ID, Google Analytics tracks how consumers interact with your website across all devices, making it possible to assign accurate attribution to all channels that assist with and lead to a conversion or sale. Having this holistic view of which channels and tactics are contributing to the bottom line will allow for more accurate channel optimization and marketing budget designation.

Another feature that makes Universal Analytics a valuable marketing measurement tool is the ability to upload marketing cost data. Having cost data in Google Analytics enables you to calculate ROI for your marketing channels and tactics. Before this feature, it was possible to view your return on investment for only Google paid advertising in Google Analytics. Now with Universal Analytics, you can compare ROI figures for Facebook versus LinkedIn, SEO versus paid search, email marketing vs. online banners and so on. And combining this analysis with proper channel conversion attribution through multi-device tracking will give you the ultimate “universal” view of how all marketing tactics are working together to impact the bottom line. Imagine that!

Our analysts have the skills and tools to help you succeed in this crazy and exciting world of data-based marketing. If you need help figuring out how to switch to Google Analytics’ Universal Analytics, or if you just want more information on web analytics in general, contact Capstrat’s Analytics team or tweet @capstrat to start the conversation.

Capstrat is a strategic communications agency specializing in campaigns that help clients win customers, improve visibility, generate revenue and achieve favorable public policy outcomes.Founded in 1994, Capstrat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.,and is owned by Ketchum, part of the Diversified Agency Services division of the Omnicom Group, Inc., a leading global advertising and marketing communications services company. www.capstrat.com

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/universal-analytics-attribution-in-a-multi-device-world/feed/0Three Tips for Creating B2B Success on Twitterhttp://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-creating-b2b-success-on-twitter/
http://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-creating-b2b-success-on-twitter/#commentsFri, 26 Jun 2015 18:22:25 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4653Guest Post by Mallory Pickard, Account Executive, Capstrat The use of Twitter as a resource for peer insight and product research continues to increase. B2B buyers in particular are becoming more comfortable with leveraging Twitter and LinkedIn as resources in various points of the buying process. This includes asking friends and influencers for recommendations, analyzing […]

The use of Twitter as a resource for peer insight and product research continues to increase. B2B buyers in particular are becoming more comfortable with leveraging Twitter and LinkedIn as resources in various points of the buying process. This includes asking friends and influencers for recommendations, analyzing trends and searching for educational, vendor-neutral information.

The evolution of Twitter as a buyer resource combined with new features such as targeted lead generation cards and private group chat has created a lead-nurturing space that B2B marketers cannot ignore. Whether you’re already fully present on Twitter or just getting started with an integration strategy, here are three tips that will help guide your efforts.

1. Goals first.

Goals for using social media for your business and B2B marketing efforts can be varied. Here are a few sample goals:

Increase sales.

Increase lead generation.

Increase newsletter subscribers or white paper downloads.

Promote community engagement.

Improve awareness of a certain product or service.

Improve customer support.

Setting a goal is a key first step in creating your audience targeting approach. If your goal is to educate existing clients about a new feature or product, you may try uploading an existing email database and leveraging the list for Twitter ads. If your goal is to increase lead generation, you may use that same email list to generate a look-alike audience that can be used to target Twitter users similar to those in your database.

Whatever your goal, be sure to have content or information in place that is going to be of real value or interest to your audience. Don’t overlook the importance of crafting compelling copy, even if you’re just running a few Twitter ads. And always, always monitor your efforts so that you can test and tweak your approach and, most importantly, respond to engaged users.

2. Answer questions to build trust and improve SEO

Twitter recently announced the release of a new and more powerful native search engine. Twitter users can now search through every tweet ever published, and consumers searching for your product or service on Google may be served up popular tweets from accounts that use those search terms. This is huge benefit for both B2C and B2B businesses because 72% of all product research for a future business purchase begins on Google.

This also means it is more important than ever to be strategic and thoughtful about the content, images and links you share on Twitter. Use your company’s SEO keyword research to inform your Twitter messaging strategy and create content that is useful and relevant to your audience. Set up monitoring for those keywords on Twitter so that you can join appropriate tweet chats and respond in real time to consumers who are researching your product or service.
Identifying recent discussions and answering questions about your company and associated keywords on Twitter will help improve engagement and build trust with your audience, which in turn will improve your company’s rankings in search results for those keywords.

3. Provide customer support

As we previously mentioned in our white paper 5 steps to performing a successful social audit in 2015, 71 percent of consumers who experience a quick and effective brand response on social media are more likely to recommend that brand to others. As more consumers embrace Twitter as an option for receiving customer support, brands must take steps to ensure they have the capabilities and the monitoring in place to meet their customers’ and potential customers’ expectations.
Important: Don’t equate “customer support” with the dreaded robot voice. Strive for approachable communication and support that is helpful and human. Don’t let your commitment to a formal customer support strategy on Twitter overshadow your brand’s voice.

Bottom line

Twitter is great channel for sharing and promoting content, answering questions about your product or industry, engaging existing and potential customers, and boosting online visibility. This now goes for both B2C and B2B businesses. Embracing Twitter as a stop on the B2B buying journey will help you ensure tighter integration in your company’s lead-generation efforts and, most importantly, help your business become a useful and trusted resource for B2B consumers.

Capstrat is a strategic communications agency specializing in campaigns that help clients win customers, improve visibility, generate revenue and achieve favorable public policy outcomes.Founded in 1994, Capstrat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.,and is owned by Ketchum, part of the Diversified Agency Services division of the Omnicom Group, Inc., a leading global advertising and marketing communications services company. www.capstrat.com

]]>http://www.triangleama.org/three-tips-for-creating-b2b-success-on-twitter/feed/0Marketing Advice from Craft Brewershttp://www.triangleama.org/marketing-advice-from-craft-brewers/
http://www.triangleama.org/marketing-advice-from-craft-brewers/#commentsTue, 23 Jun 2015 19:59:39 +0000http://www.triangleama.org/?p=4647The June AMA panel discussed how smaller brands can compete against the marketing spend of their larger competitors. It’s not often that companies have $1 billion advertising budgets, particularly local and regional craft breweries that are competing with the likes of Budweiser and Miller Coors for market share. The June 18 Triangle AMA luncheon explored […]

]]>The June AMA panel discussed how smaller brands can compete against the marketing spend of their larger competitors.

It’s not often that companies have $1 billion advertising budgets, particularly local and regional craft breweries that are competing with the likes of Budweiser and Miller Coors for market share.

The June 18 Triangle AMA luncheon explored how some of the most successful craft breweries are reaching customers and industry influencers with budgets a fraction of those of their well-known competitors. Shane Johnson, executive vice president at Capstrat and producer of Brewconomy, moderated the panel discussion with Margo Knight Metzger, executive director of the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild, Ryan Beach, southeast regional director at New Belgium Brewing, and Sean Lilly Wilson, chief executive optimist at Fullsteam Brewery.

One of the ways to be effective against those with large marketing budgets is to be great at public relations, Metzger said. One of the goals of the Brewers Guild is to tell the story of North Carolina craft beers, which helps contribute to job growth, tourism and incomes.

“We try to be the best at PR,” Metzger said. “If we can tell our story and find others to help tell the story, that is most effective for our budget.”

All the panelists agreed that being authentic in how you talk about your brand and products was critical to reaching customers and engaging them. This can be easier for small businesses such as craft brewers since founders generally have a story to tell about product development and the mission behind the brewery that’s more easily relatable than a large corporation.

The Importance of Digital

Digital marketing and utilizing social media is an important way that brewers connect with customers and talk about their products. Metzger said about 50 of the guild’s 130 craft brewers had a formal marketing budget.

Beach said it was hard to quantify the total marketing budget for New Belgium since some activities that technically came out of the other budget lines could be considered marketing, such as entertaining. New Belgium does use paid Facebook posts, and BuzzFeed articles as part of their digital strategy, which they found to be more effective than television spots.

Wilson pointed out that for founders, letting go of that social media voice could be a challenge. He worked for several years before the brewery opened getting his story out via social media and Fullsteam’s blog. Now that the company has grown, he’s handed that off to someone else, but strives to make sure the voice remains authentic and relevant.

Events for Brand Building

For New Belgium and Fullsteam, events have also proven to be a good way to reach current and potential customers. Beach pointed to the company’s Tour de Fat – a traveling festival of cycling and beers – as a way they reach audiences on a local level. Fullsteam does a marathon event – called THE POINT 262 – as well as hosting many other activities at the brewery to engage with their community.

“What you’re doing locally really does matter,” Beach said.

Metzger said the guild focused much of its marketing spend on cooperative events that brewers might not be able to do on their own, such as sponsoring a beer bloggers conference and bringing brewers to meet attendees and tell their stories.

Getting craft beer on tap can also be a great way to build brand awareness, but it’s a competitive market. Both Beach and Wilson agreed that the handles themselves had to be catchy and memorable, grabbing attention while standing at the bar. But getting that handle can be difficult when many of the larger companies can spend money to get space.

This demand can also help craft brewers compete for shelf space, since much of that is determined by sales data. Part of building market share is educating consumers about what is true craft beer, and which brands are subsidiaries of larger companies.

But despite the large budgets of corporate brands, craft brewers are gaining market share across the nation. The goal for the industry is to increase craft beer’s market share to 20% by 2020, a goal that should be attainable given its current 11% market share, Metzger said.

Craft beer in North Carolina continues to gain prominence with all types of customers, winning new converts and helping boost the state’s economy – all while competing with international brands.

Liz Hester is a freelancer writer, editor and content strategist enjoying life in Raleigh, NC. She spent seven years in New York working as a business reporter for a wire service, then in communications at a major financial services firm before returning to her home state. She loves cycling, traveling and playing with her new puppy.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/elizabeth-liz-hester/2/416/350